David D Cardone

David D. Cardone

FOUNDING PARTNER

Over a decade of consistent representation and counsel for businesses on strategic, litigation and risk management matters.

Biography

David is a founding partner of Dunn DeSantis Walt & Kendrick, LLP. For over a decade, his practice in Southern California has included business and corporate representation, commercial litigation, including class action and employment matters of all types, and professional liability defense. He regularly appears in California trial and appellate courts. He also regularly represents and counsels businesses on strategic, non-litigation and risk management matters.

David is known for his successful representation of clients in unique legal disputes. In one such instance, he obtained a large recovery on behalf of a disabled Navy veteran who was denied access to a flight by a national airline. In another matter, David prepared an analysis of free speech rights for the largest North American retailer of a brand of imported cigars in preparation for an advertising campaign.

From 2006-2008, David served as one of six judicial law clerks to Justice Cynthia A. Baldwin of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In that role, David worked on dozens of majority and collateral opinions, reviewed and recommended the disposition of scores of petitions for allocatur, which is the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s discretionary review mechanism, and attended over 100 oral arguments.

Prior to his clerkship, David practiced in both Pennsylvania and Los Angeles, where he was primarily involved in large-scale commercial insurance coverage litigation.

Admissions

  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • All Courts of the State of Pennsylvania
  • All Courts of the State of California

Education

  • Duquesne University School of Law, J.D., 2003
  • Awards & Activities: Research assistant to nationally-acclaimed constitutional law scholar and author Ken Gormley
  • The Pennsylvania State University, B.A., Political Science, 1999

Memberships and Activities

  • State Bar of California
  • State Bar of Pennsylvania
  • San Diego County Bar Association
  • The Association of Business and Trial Lawyers
  • Associate, American Inns of Court, The Honorable William B. Enright Chapter
  • San Diego Defense Lawyers
  • Past Delegate, State Bar of California Conference of Delegates
  • American Judicature Society
  • Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
  • NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association

Professional Recognition and Awards

  • Selected by peers for inclusion in the 2021 Best Lawyers in America in the field of Commercial Litigation

Publications and Speaking

  • David has authored legal articles on topics such as the First Amendment rights of third-party political candidates and an assessment of appellate practice as a distinct legal practice area. He regularly authors articles for the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel’s Verdict magazine.
  • David has taught advanced legal writing, trial tactics, and litigation tactics courses at multiple law schools, and he has been involved in judging numerous collegiate and law school mock trial and moot court competitions since 2003.
  • David has been recognized as a Practitioner Contributor to the Abridged 9th Edition of Black’s Law Dictionary. He volunteers for the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ Pro Bono Program. David is actively involved in the Penn State and Duquesne University alumni associations and volunteers to counsel students interested in attending these schools.
  • From 2011 through 2015, David served on the board of directors of the San Diego Defense Lawyers and as the editor of its quarterly publication, The Update. In 2015, David was recognized in the San Diego Business Journal’s “Best of the Bar” list.